The Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Regional Development and Housing is concerned with the sustainable development of cities and municipalities as well as housing construction. It is committed to affordable housing and the promotion of urban development measures. One focus is on the digitalization of construction processes and the creation of social housing. The ministry is also involved in the protection of historical monuments and the sustainable use of resources in the construction industry.
Expo Real 2024 is taking place at a particularly challenging time for the real estate, construction and housing industries. It is a time when companies, regions and leading industry representatives are intensively discussing how to overcome the current problems. The central question is how housing construction can be facilitated and accelerated in order to create urgently needed living space. The development of the industry and securing skilled workers will also be discussed as key topics at the trade fair.
A central problem that will be addressed at Expo Real is the unprofitability of residential construction. The construction of residential real estate, whether for private, municipal or large investors, is currently no longer worthwhile. High construction costs, complicated approval processes and increasing requirements due to state building regulations and the building code make the construction of new apartments difficult and expensive. One of the key measures to solve this problem is a comprehensive reform of these regulations. Baden-Württemberg is currently working on a new state development plan, which is to be made more flexible in order to give local authorities more room for maneuver and promote development.
In addition to the reform of building regulations, the reduction of bureaucracy will also be the focus of discussions at Expo Real. In order to speed up the construction process and reduce costs, it is essential to remove unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. Another important point is the lowering of standards. While minimum standards are necessary to ensure safety and quality, it is repeatedly pointed out that many of today's requirements go beyond what is necessary. Moving away from so-called luxury standards could help to reduce construction costs and make housing construction more attractive again. Expo Real thus not only highlights the existing challenges, but also offers space for the discussion of forward-looking solutions in the real estate industry.